For Rome!
by SilentShade5
Summary: The House of Brutii's campaign against the enemies of Rome. Told from the perspective of a young General on the front lines.
1. March

I own no rights to Creative Assembly or the Total War series. The story is written from the knowledge I have gained from Rome: Total War and history books, History channel, etc. 

Chapter 1: Preparations

Prologue It is a dark time for the Roman empire, the senate is ruling with an iron fist. Many countries have moved in on Roman lands. The three houses of Rome are in an uneasy alliance held together only by the Senate. One of these houses, the house of Brutii, receives orders to conquer the town of segestica that is held by rebel troops.

Several men entered the forum located in the capital of Brutii lands, Tarentum. They took seats in a large room dominated by a long table and several guards. One man was already sitting in a chair at the other end of the table. He greeted them with open arms.  
" Welcome to Tarentum noble men!" he said with a grin. An ambassador from the house of Skipii stepped forward and embraced him.  
" It has been too long Gyricus " he replied. The ambassador presented Gyricus with a scroll detailing orders from the Roman senate. Gyricus took the parchment and read quietly to himself. He mumbled Segestica as he read. After a time, Gyricus laid the parchment down. His face was grim. He had to take Segestica before either the house of Julii or Skipii did. Gyricus bid farewell to his guests.

Rome soldiers stood at attention outside Segestica's barracks. It was a small army of Hastati and Town Watch. A few horses neighed. The garrison commander, General Kapius, relayed the Senate's orders to the men. They were to move out in only 3 hours. The army was only 400 men strong but a well trained army at that. The men moved out toward the mainland. Outside the borders of Julii lands a unit of cavalry was waiting for them. A young man hopped from his horse and greeted the men.

" My name is Marcylus, and I will be your commander!" he cried. The Romans cheered and followed the general onward. Marcylus sent a spy ahead of the army to try and sabotage any defenses Segestica had. The man moved off into the night toward his target. Marcylus knew that it would a very dangerous mission but it could help his army's chances of taking the settlement with reduced casualties.

At Segestica, the rebels inside the town were planning on assaulting the nearby Julii town. The captain of the town was having trouble keeping order in the rapidly expanding city. The citizens were already rioting in isolated parts of the city. The captain sent a dozen more swordsmen to keep peace near the blacksmith, where people were trying to get their hands on weapons. This confusion made it easy for a lone Brutii spy to infiltrate the town and sabotage the guard towers on the wooden palisade. He slipped into a small house and waited for the army to arrive.

" Soldiers! await my order! " shouted Marcylus. His troops were outside Segestica. The army inside had no hope of retreat. Marcylus quickly set up a work station for slodiers to construct a battering ram. His other troops were forming a line and setting up tents for the coming siege of the city. The general smiled. His men were listening to him. The coming battle would prove if they would stay loyal or not. Marcylus posted sentries and retired to his quarters. Once inside his tent he felt like someone was watching him. His walked to one of the curtains and unsheathed his sword. He brought his sword the the curtain in a flash.

" You always were fast my lord ". The spy stepped out of the curtains with Marcylus' sword still at his throat.  
" I learned from the best Phylus ", replied the general. The men shook hands. With a bow, Phylus slinked away leaving the General to sleep. Marcylus dreamt of a battle he had fought against the Britons.

" Hold fast son, you'll live " grunted a large man beside Marcylus. The general knew he was dreaming but let himself relive the fight. Hundreds of Britons poured into the city of Canas. Marcylus was part of a group of Hastati. They were waiting for the Britons to pass them and then attack from behind. Arrows whizzed into the line of barbarians, killing several soldiers. Only 100 Town Watch and 40 hastati stood against the Britons. The archers fell back as the Town Watch cut into the line of men. " Hastati throw Spears! " ordered the captain of the town. The Hastati formed a line behind the Britons. Marcylus gripped his spear and aimed at his target. A man with a fur on his head.

" Fire! "cried the captain. 40 spears flew into the unprotected backs of the britons. Blood poured from the man Marcylus had implanted his first spear into. The Hastati threw another volley of spears into the britons before charging. Marcylus brought out his sword. The line of Hastati crashed into the Britons' line. Chaos reigned as men cut one another down. Marcylus ducked a sword swing before jabbing his sword into his enemy's ribs. Blood gushed from the wound. As the man fell, Marcylus attacked and killed another barbarian. Suddenly a line of Briton cavalry charged at the Hastati from behind. Marcylus braced himself. A volley of arrows flew into the cavalry. Marcylus saw that the archers had circled around to the middle of the Briton deathtrap. Horses fell, and the cavalry broke ranks, running away.

"Push forward!" cried the captain as he cut down an unlucky Briton. Marcylus brought his sword down on a man's head, ending his life. He then pulled a spear from his shield and threw it into the back of another soldier. The two armies fought for another ten minutes. As the dust cleared from the battle, Marcylus saw that the Britons had been defeated. The remaining men regrouped and went about rebuilding what they had lost.

" Sir! the Rebels are forming up for an attack! " hissed Phylus. Marcylus jumped out of the bed and donned his armor. He mounted his horse. The rebel army had formed up and were marching on the camp. The general smiled, knowing that they stood no chance of victory.


	2. Siege of Segestica

I own no rights to Creative Assembly or the Total War series. The story is written from the knowledge I have gained from Rome: Total War and history books, History channel, etc.

Chapter 2: Siege of Segestica

The rebels were marching slowly toward Marcylus' troops. The column was a perfect target for hidden archers. Unfortunately the only man trained with a bow was Marcylus' scout. Rexell quickly fitted an arrow into his bow. The archer then began firing arrows. He had a decent size stock of one hundred arrows. He hoped to kill at least twenty before the hastati engaged the rebels.  
" Hastati move up! " ordered Marcylus. The men eagerly began marching forward. The commander then ordered the Town Watch to circle around the enemy army with a battering ram and break down a section of the wall. He knew that it would be difficult for the large group of men to get to the town without being seen, but he knew they could defend themselves.

" Hastati, fire at will! " ordered the commander of the medium infantry. The Hastati halted and awaited the enemy army. Marcylus led his cavalry to the flanks of the rebels. They had no idea that their peasants would be trampled before they reached the Hastati. meanwhile the Hastati brought out a Pilum. They hefted the weapon onto their shoulders.

" Ready, aim, fire! " cried the Hastati commander. The romans threw a large volley of spears into the advancing militia. The rebels fell before a wall of spears. The Hastati loosed another volley on the rebels before unsheathing their swords. The men charged into the militia. Swords flashed in the sun, men screamed as Roman strength pushed them back. Hastati fell but were avenged with the death of more rebels. One group of Hastati rushed to the backs of the militia, brought out another spear, and imbedded another volley of steel into the unshielded backs. Blood drenched the grass. A man cut into a group of 5 militia, slaughtering them all. His sword was soon red with blood as he stabbed an unsuspecting peasant.

Marcylus ordered his cavalry to charge. A unit of peasants was trying to reinforce the already defeated militia. " Roman Cavalry! Charge! " he screamed. Marcylus' horse shot across the plains. The rest of the cavalry joined in the charge. The men readied their spears. They galloped freely before cutting through the peasants. The men were terrified. Blood splattered into the air as spears pierced the unarmored peasants. Just as the last horse got through the column, the peasants broke and began running.

" Town Watch, begin the ramming! " ordered the Town Watch officer. Four men then operated the ram. Slamming the wood with tremendous force. Screams were heard inside the town. The wooden wall gave easily after only a few rams. The Town Watch rushed into the city, cutting down a couple of sentries. The men then split into two groups, one on each side of the gate.

After the cavalry had slaughtered the group of flanking peasants, Rexell fitted his last arrow into his bow and watched the general. A lone peasant had brought a spear to the fight. He planted it into the ground before Marcylus' horse. The horse jumped over the spear, sending Marcylus to the ground. A milita man charged the general. Rexell fired his bow, and hoped he wouldn't hit the general.

The general couldn't believe it. His horse had bucked him off. He quickly rose and pulled out his trusty sword. The blade gave him a sense of security. He quickly sliced through a peasant's chest, sending blood spraying everywhere. He heard a war cry behind him. A man charged with anger toward Marcylus. The general knew he did not have time to turn. He put his sword behind his back and prepared to swing around. Suddenly the man was silenced.

Marcylus looked down at the man, seeing the arrow imbedded in the man's neck. He smiled. The Town Watch would ambush the last of the broken men. As he was thinking of this, the last of the rebels were ambushed by the Town Watch. Green flags rose, declaring victory. Marcylus then ordered his men to collect the dead. They had lost Twenty Hastati and five Town Watch. Twenty more were seriously injured. The general then began ordering the men to enslave the populace of Segestica.

A lone Hastati looked around the tent he occupied anxiously. He had never been summoned by a general before. He was just a soldier after all. His thoughts drifted to his men. Five were killed attacking the town. General Marcylus entered the tent. The soldier stood and saluted the general. Marcylus motioned for him the sit.

" Your name is Isaacius Julius? " asked the General. Isaacius was alarmed that the general knew what house he came from.  
" Yes sir " answered Isaacius. The general then commented on his odd name. He nodded.  
" You abandoned Julii? " asked Marcylus. Isaac nodded again. His head dropped. Marcylus stood, walked over to Isaac and raised Isaac's head with his hand.  
" There is nothing to be ashamed of, I also abandoned Julii ". Isaacius' eyes grew wide. He thought he was the only one in the Brutii army to abandon the Julii house. Marcylus then told Isaacius that after a large scale Briton attack. A commander had ordered that Marcylus be forced into hiding. After that day, Segesta had been overrun by Gauls, and Marcylus had vowed to leave Julii and join Brutii.

" I am very impressed by your combat skills Isaacius " said Marcylus. He then asked the man if he would accept adoption into the Brutus family. Isaacius was shocked. Marcylus then told him he would be the new governor of Segestica. 


	3. Ambush in Place

I own no rights to Creative Assembly or the Total War series. The story is written from the knowledge I have gained from Rome: Total War and history books, History channel, etc.

Chapter 3: Ambush in place

After Segestica was taken, Marcylus left a small garrison to run the town. His army then marched North. Phylus had gone ahead of the army, and to his gret surprise, had seen a large army of Britons marching in Segestica's direction. Marcylus was not about to lose the town his men had died for. His plan was to ambush them in the woods north of Segestica.

Back at Tarentum Gyricus had just received a mission from the senate to get trade rights secured with Greece. He rubbed his forehead hard. This was his way of thinking. Scipii was on the verge of declaring war with Greece. If he asked for trade rights before the war, the Greeks may see it as a conspiracy.

" Sir, may I send a runner to Greece?" asked Gyricus' advisor. The man thought for a moment before coming to a decision.  
" Very well, go "  
" Yes Milord ". The advisor turned and walked quickly out of the hall. Gyricus stood and then began speaking to himself. He drew his own sword.  
" Once Greece thinks we are on their side-" he traced a graceful arc in the air infront of him. He then brought his sword down hard on the table behind him. "-We will strike." He laughed and sent another runner to find Marcylus. The general was supposedly setting up an ambush for a large Briton force.

Marcylus scanned the terrain ahead from inside a thick bush. Ahead of him was a large road stretching to his left and right. Surrounding the road was a very steep hill, and the forest Marcylus was hiding in. He had a sizeable force waiting in the forest. He then decided the best place for his new archer company and Rexell to be was on the hill.

" Rexell, take your men onto the hill and wait for my signal." Rexell bowed before ordering his men to follow him. Marcylus quickly ordered his Hastati to form an infantry line about three meters from to forest edge. The men moved forward. They formed a line 100 men long and 4 men strong . In unison, the men hefted a pilum onto their shoulder and waited for the Britons.

The archers spotted them first. A large column of barbarians was making its way toward the ambush. Rexell ordered the archers to fit an arrow. The men brought out an arrow and readied their bows. Rexell watched as the first of the britons cleared the trees to his left. The road then filled with men. Rexell readied himself.  
Marcylus lit the tip of his own spear, waited three seconds, then hurled it through the trees. He then heard many bows firing a volley of arrows. The general waited for another volley before ordering the men to hurl spears and charge. The Hastati hurled their spears into the Britons. Blood covered the road as bodies fell everywhere. The enemies panicked and charged up the hill. The archers held their ground, giving the Hastati time to draw their swords and cut into the Britons.

Red and blue shields flashed against the sun as the armies clashed in small groups. Marcylus worked his way through the smaller engagements. His men were faring well. He spotted a small group of Britons led by a very large man. His hammer smashed through a Hastati's shield, sending the man flying into another Hastati. Marcylus yelled at the man, calling him to fight. The brute walked toward him. The roman's mind worked a plan to defeat this giant.

" General!" called a warrior. Marcylus turned and saw a man toss his shield. Marcylus grabbed the shield and turned to face his new foe. Around him the romans had secured a large oval. Fighting was still going on in the woods. The brute removed the cape he was wearing. Marcylus moved onto a small hill in between the two of them. Only grass meant that he would have firm footing on the small hill. The man Marcylus was facing said something in a language that was very strange. The general's sword glistened as it twirled in the air.

" Die enemy of Rome! " cried Marcylus. He swung his sword in a diagonal slash at his foe. The man reached up and grabbed the sword in mid swing. Marcylus' mouth opened wide. The enemy showed Marcylus his hands. Very strong gloves covered his palms. Marcylus quickly pulled back his sword and lunged forward in a stabbing motion. The giant batted the sword aside before bringing his hammer down hard. The general quickly rolled forward. He threw his shield into the air at the same time. Marcylus hoped that Mars would see that his plan worked.

Marcylus' assailant turned and faced the general. A sigh of relief breathed from Marcylus' lungs. He quickly stood and blocked the man's hammer. The shield then dropped onto the giant's head. This sent him off balance. The general quickly stepped forward, imbedding his sword in his enemy's chest. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the giant man fell and slid down the grassy hill. Marcylus paused and thanked Mars for his fortune. He walked to the man and pulled out his sword. He then picked up the shield. He looked at the roman faces before finding the man who had given him the shield.  
" Thank you brother of Rome " said the general before giving back the shield and raising his sword. The remaining romans cheered loudly. The archers wandered down to the troops, raising their own short swords. Marcylus smiled before ordering one company to bring the wounded back to Segestica. They had won. But this was just the second battle of many in the conquest. 


	4. Another man joins the dead

Ch.4 Another man joins the dead

Marcylus sat on a hill overlooking a small valley. His troops had set up a fort in the valley and were still sleeping. The general reflected on his past battles during the campaign. He had lost many men, but he had learned that for Rome to win, men had to be sacrificed. A shadow appeared behind the general. It crept towards him. The sound of a dagger being unsheathed was barely heard by Marcylus. He smiled. A second later the weapon was at his throat.

" Good morning General " said Phylus. He sheathed his dagger before sitting down beside the general. The two men talked for awhile, about fate, love, hatred, and anything in between. Phylus even told a humourous story that made the General laugh. After a moment of silence, Marcylus asked the spy a couple of questions.

" Have you had any training in assassination Phylus?" The spy nodded his head. He had actually been waiting for the time when his general would ask him to assassinate someone. Next Marcylus brought out a scroll from his armor. It had a drawing of a man's face. Phylus knew immediately that this was to be his target. He studied the face. The man was a Greek leader. The spy wondered why he would be killing a neutral leader. He then continued talking to Marcylus.

" You abandoned Julii, yet you still wear their colour, why is this?" The general looked at Phylus. He just sat there and said nothing. He reached for his cape, tore it away, and tossed it to the wind. The pair watched it glide down the hill. It slowly dropped until it landed on a soldier.

A roman had been sent by Isaacius to bring Marcylus' army newly coloured Armor, shields, and weapons. His cart was behind him as he walked up the hill. Suddenly his vision was blocked by a garment. It wrapped around him.

" What in the name of Mars is this?" He tumbled back down the hill. Later he found passage into the camp. Phylus took his leave of the general. The spy quickly found the nearest road and started his trek towards Greece.

Marcylus watched the sun rise before moving into the camp to greet his waking men. The men rose, donned their new gear, and had breakfast before manning their posts. The general realized that his army seemed much more...precise than the week before. Their eyes had confidence in them. The general was talking to the armor runner when a young boy burst into the camp. His eyes were wide with fear. Marcylus and Rexell quickly rushed over to the boy. He spoke in a shrill voice to the two men.

" Sir please help, my father is being harassed by Greeks, I don't know how long he can fight them off by himself. There are about twenty of them. They were toying with him before." Marcylus agreed to save the man. He asked for ten men to volunteer for the task. Many men raised their hands. Marcylus smiled, his men were ready. He chose ten men. Rexell brought horses for the rescue party. After receiving directions to the man, The romans rode off into the countryside.

It wasn't long before Marcylus heard shouting and laughing. He slowed his men down. The general dismounted and walked toward the sounds. The man they were rescuing was in a river, his ankles sloshing through the water. Marcylus peered from the bushes at the man. The greeks around him played with him. Rexell moved in beside Marcylus. They nodded to each other. Marcylus donned a helmet he had found at Segestica. It covered his face, giving him good protection. Rexell put on his own helmet. He fitted an arrow into his bow.

Before going to talk with the Greeks, The general placed his cavalry. He walked out of the trees and called to the Greeks.

" Why are you harassing that man?" He looked sternly at them. One Greek laughed and brought his spear to bear. Its pointed tip stood extended. He asked the general why they should do otherwise.

" I am not afraid of no Roman, the Romans are weak". This Greek just happened to be their leader. He was very overconfident.

" If you do not leave that man alone you will die." Marcylus smiled again, his opponents had no idea of the ambush that was in wait. He unsheathed his sword. Its sliding sound slightly muffled by the river's sounds. By now the lead Greek stood only two feet away from Marcylus. The man laughed and raised his spear to strike. The general heard a whistle. The Greek man grunted as the arrow from Rexell's bow struck him in the stomach. He had enough time to gasp in surprise before Marcylus drove his sword into his chest.

" Where did that come from?" asked the other men. They watched as Marcylus removed his sword from their leader's body.

" Let's get him!" they cried. Marcylus whistled. The sound of hooves erupted behind the Greeks. They turned and saw the rest of the rescue party galloping toward them. Lances were pointed out at the enemy spearmen. Marcylus rushed the nearest enemy, cutting him down in a spray of blood. The man that had been attacked lunged forward, cutting the spear of another man in half. The Greeks panicked and started attacking the general.

The lead horse rammed into the enemy soldiers. Spears flashed and embedded themselves in the thick armor of their foes. Five men went down in the first pass. A roman jumped from his horse, knocking three men to the ground. He immediately stabbed them in the throat. The river began to run red with blood. Small fights broke out, horses neighed and whined, a spear jabbed into the belly of a horse, throwing its rider into the river. Marcylus grabbed a soldier, turned him around, and slit his throat in a smooth motion.

" Victory!" cried the Romans as three enemies ran away. The impacts of three arrows were heard shortly after. Rexell entered the riverbank area, blood was on his armor. The general walked up to him, nodding.

" During the fight one of them tried to knife me general," he said. Marcylus removed his helmet. The romans had suffered three wounded. They could still ride, and the rescue party rode back to the fort leaving the general, Rexell, and the man they had rescued.

" A thousand blessings upon you General, may the gods smile down on you," preached the man. He revealed to them that his name was Lylius. He then whistled. A cart drawn by a mule then came into view and stopped infront of Lylius. The general looked into the cart and spotted swords, shields, and other items. They looked of high quality.

" I am a blacksmith my lord. I can only repay you by joining your army. I will sell my goods to you at a fair price." The trio then hiked back to the fort. They left those they had slaughtered to rot.

Somewhere in Greece a man entered a sleeping chamber. A large bed dominated the far right corner. While a desk with scrolls and a suit of armor was on the other side. The skin of a tiger was on the floor ahead of the bed. The man placed a couple of scrolls on his desk before going to stand near his bed. He did not notice a shadow slink into the room from a window behind the bed. It crept up behind him. A dagger was pulled from his sheath.

" You are making a terrible mistake!" cried the man before Phylus slit his throat. The roman quickly hid the body under the bed before jumping out the window, and starting his long journey back to Rome. 


	5. Goods for Sale

I own no rights to Creative Assembly or the Total War series. The story is written from the knowledge I have gained from Rome: Total War and history books, History channel, etc.

Ch. 5 Goods for sale

The army began marching towards Greece. Marcylus ripped up his orders and tossed them into the wind. He did not like that they were attacking Greece. They were a very strong nation. He especially feared their phalanxes. But he had a strategy to take them down. Rexell roder cheerily beside him on his steed.

" Hello General, the gods seem to curse us as we are on our way to battle Greece! folly!" The general laughed. Rexell always brought a smile to Marcylus' face. The army continued marching for a couple of weeks. One night, after a fort had been made, Marcylus was awoken roughly by Rexell.

" I'm sorry general but I have bad news, a small group of archers is preparing to attack our camp along the west ridge. The general mentally reviewed the terrain around his camp. There was a flat plain jutting out of the large field they had set up camp in. A river and a rocky ridge were to the west. He quickly dressed in his armor. The plating brought gave the man a heightened sense of security.

Marcylus and Rexell quickly moved behind the ridge. Rexell pointed to the top of it. Ten men were fitting arrows into their bows. Rexell put three arrows into his own bowstring and nodded to the general. Marcylus nodded back before rushing the men from behind.

" Die enemies of Rome!" cried the general. Three arrows whizzed by him, killing two men. They clutched at their throats as they went down. The archers drew their daggers and attacked the general. Marcylus blocked a stab, whirled around, and swung his sword in a large sweeping motion. Three men cried out as they fell. A short melee ensued between the general and the archers. Another arrow flew and imbedded itself into the back of the last remaining archer.

Marcylus sheathed his sword before checking the dead men. They were Greek. This did not bode well. The Greeks were becoming more aggressive. The pair of men headed back to camp and slept until dawn. In the morning, Marcylus went to visit Lylius. The man had a roman helmet over his face. Loud snores erupted from underneath. The general shook the man awake.

" Curse you all! you'll never take a true roman!" cried Lylius as he bolted up and shook his fists everywhere. He spotted the general and turned red. He immediately appologized. The general waved him off before spotting the goods inside the cart. Armor and helmets of every kind covered the sides. Marcylus picked a silver helm of ingenious design from the wall.  
" Ahhh a good helmet General. Not even an axe can pierce it, yet it is very light. I will sell it for 75 Denarii". It was a modified roman army helmet. It had a face plate with two hammers on the forehead portion. The face plate reached just below the general's chin. The eye sockets were large enough to give the general a good field of vision.

" Thank you Lylius " called Marcylus. He then told Rexell to check out the merchant before climbing the fort battlements. He looked out over the land that stretched before him. Across the plains he spotted a lone man walking towards the camp. The archers on the walls raised their bows. Marcylus ordered them to stand down. He knew the man instantly by the way he walked. The man was Phylus. The general smiled and quickly jumped from the battlements, mounted his horse, and rode out to meet his friend.

Once Phylus had returned to the fort. The army marched forth. The spy told Marcylus about his success. The general took the time to reminisce of a previous battle.

Not 200 yards away, an army of Greeks prepared to attack the marching romans. The general of the army fitted an arrow into his bow and fired at Marcylus. The flew straight and true. Marcylus had spotted the army and was giving orders for his infantry to form up when the arrow hit him.

The impact knocked the general to the ground. Rexell quickly jumped from his horse and examined Marcylus. After frantic searching he found a dent in the face mask.

" Praise Mars, you are a lucky man my lord!" said Rexell. Marcylus quickly stood up and drew his sword before mounting his horse once again. He quickly gave orders for his cavalry to form up while leaving command of his infantry and archers to Rexell. Phylus then began giving orders to his small but deadly squad of men behind him.

Marcylus surveyed the battlefield. An open plain. Perfect. The only place where two armies had no distinct advantages. The general told a runner to bring word to fire arrows at the army's left side. A few moments later a volley of arrows flew into the air and landed amongst a group of spearmen. Screams filled the air. Marcylus ordered his runner to relay the message of two more volleys into the same area. The cavalry unit of one hundred men moved out to the flank of the Greeks. Arrows impacted once again in the ranks of the Greeks. A man clutched at his throat before falling, taking another three men's weapons with him.

" Unit, Wedge formation now!" cried Marcylus. The cavalry formed a wedge before moving farther to the right of the field. Rexell immediately ordered the infantry to form up and advance. Principes gripped their pilum's tightly while a few Hastati prayed to the gods for victory. The Brutii army marched forward while arrows flew into their ranks. Men fell while others stepped over their bodies only to be hit a few steps farther. Rexell cried out to his men.

" Men, prepare to throw pilums while charging! do not waiver under this pathetic arrow fire. You are destined for victory!" Rexell smiled as he began the charge. The war cry of the romans instilled fear in the Greeks. The men came close to the enemy before throwing their pilums. The first line of the enemy melted away as the romans crashed into them.

The general saw what was happening. He then ordered his cavalry to charge. The ground shook as the horses galloped toward the vulnerabl Greek flank.

Unfortunately the greeks regrouped and began pushing the romans back. Rexell took an arrow to the shoulder. Centurions moved forward and ordered another volley of pilums. Once again blood stained the ground. Gladiuses penetrated Greek armor, shields were thrown to the ground when made useless by Pilums. Spears found their mark, spilling the victim's blood over themselves. The romans cried out in triumph when the cavalry arrived.

Marcylus' horse was the first to hit the greek line. The wall of animals ran over the Greeks. The general slashed away spears and stabbed hapless Greeks. As the cavalry pushed farther into the enemy line, they broke ranks and ran into the nearby forest. The rest of the greeks fought valiantly between the general's cavalry and Rexell's infantry. Marcylus clashed with a greek spear. After batting it away he brought his sword down in a slashing motion. The greek's spear was sliced in half.

The man then took the pointed half of his spear and jumped at Marcylus. The general pushed him away. A Hastati jumped onto the valiant greek, driving his gladius into his heart. Blood welled from his mouth. The rest of the greeks surrendered. The cries of dying men were heard in the forest as Phylus' men attacked the retreating Greeks.

" You have won General, but may I look upon the face of the vanguisher?" asked the general of the Greeks. Marcylus dismounted and removed his helmet. The greek general bowed and offered him his sword. Marcylus hesitated. He then refused the offer.

" Keep your sword son of Greece but do not fret for we will treat you with respect and courtesy, is THAT RIGHT MEN!" cried the general. The romans cheered in victory. Marcylus smiled, then he ordered his men to retrieve the wounded and left a small band of men to bury the dead. He led his army and captured Greeks to the next Roman city of Aquincum. 


	6. Why We Fight

I own no rights to Creative Assembly or the Total War series. The story is written from the knowledge I have gained from Rome: Total War and history books, History channel, etc.

Ch. 6 Why we fight

The sun beat down on Marcylus' shoulders but to him it felt good. His army was in the process of being retrained so he had ample time to relax and take in what had happened so far in his campaign. His army had taken Segestica and destroyed a Greek Army. They had also saved Lylius. He was about to check on his Hastati when a watch tower guard cried out.

" Look that village burns! ". Marcylus went to the stables, found his horse, and rode out of Aquincum. The steady beat of hooves wore off his afternoon weariness. Smoke billowed in large coulmns from a small village south of Aquincum. Screams came upon the general's ears. They were cold and dire cries.

The general came into the village ten minutes later. He could hear the steady beat of hooves going in the other direction. Marcylus estimated about fifty horses. He then dismounted and walked through the village. It was silent, save for the constant flames dancing across everything they could. Bodies were everywhere. Children, men, women, dogs, horses. Nothing was left alive in the village. The general knelt next to a man and looked at his face. A sword had cut through his chin.

" My lord!" called someone behind Marcylus. The general turned and saw that Rexell and a small cavalry unit had ridden to the village. Marcylus then mounted his horse again and led the way back to Aquincum. He did not take the one item that told him of the faction that had massacred the entire village. A Macedonian shield lay where the only man from the attackers had fallen.

After reaching Aquincum. Marcylus went to the public baths to rest. He had been shaken by this new riddle. He could not think of a reason why Macedon could have attacked them. Whatever the reason was, Macedon had declared war on them. After his bath, Marcylus sent a runner to Isaacius. This message would need to make it back to Tarentum. He then went out among the people of Aquincum. Rexell went along with him. They walked in the streets for some time. Marcylus remained silent. He was still shook by the village.

Rexell didn't even try to cheer up his lord. He knew it was better to leave Marcylus alone. The pair of soldiers returned to the barracks. The men greeted Marcylus but he just smiled and watched them train. He was about to recruit his first unit of Triarii. The Centurion doing the drills barked commands at the recruits.

" You dogs will never live to see the day your spears pierce the hearts of your enemies if you don't hold it straight!" he cried in anger. The one hundred men kept silent. The instructor continued training them for another week. Autumn came and Marcylus' army marched from Aquincum eight hundred strong. The army marched for a week only stopping at night. They set up camp outside the rebel held town of Salona. A week passed as the romans constructed battering rams and siege towers.

During that time Marcylus had kept mostly to himself, But he was shaking off the shock of the village incident. He gained back his leadership and ordered the men around all day during that week. By late Autumn the army was ready to attack.

" Principes form up for advance! " he called.  
" Hastati take up the siege towers! " came the next order.  
" All cavalry form a wedge! ".

The soldiers obeyed his orders to the letter. Inside the town five hundred rebels were hastily planning a defense of Salona. Only one guard tower was in working order. Only twenty archers were available. The captain then had an idea. If he could coax the enemy into ramming open his gate. His archers would be able to inflict centralized casualties. He had one hundred spearmen and another three hundred peasants and milita. Eighty horses also waited for his command. He then organized a plan and waited for the coming storm.

" Release arrows! " called Rexell. A cloud of deadly arrows flew through the air and landed inside the town. The men paused, took another arrow, and fired again.

" Shields up! " cried out the captain of Salona. A few men were caught off guard by the two volleys of arrows, ten men died in the first volley while only five were hit in the second barrage. The rebels then found a safe place to hide while the arrows continued to whittle their forces down.

" Orders completed! " called the leader of the archers. Rexell nodded. The siege towers were then ordered to advance. The romans groaned and strained before the towers started to move. A few archers were placed inside the towers. They began firing at the defenders who had been ordered to defend the walls.

By now almost a quarter of Salona's troops were dead or wounded. The captain had taken an arrow to the leg but had broken it in half. He gave orders for his archers to light their arrows on fire before shooting at the siege towers. Flames flew into the towers and small fires began to spread. The archers inside desperately tried to fend off the flames until the towers reached the walls.

Marcylus quickly ordered the Principes to start marching towards the walls. He then had his Town watch move the battering ram towards the gate. He watched as the siege towers finally stopped in front of the walls.

" Alright everyone up the tower! " ordered a Centurion. He held up his shield just in time to block an arrow. The troops climbed up a few ladders before assembling in the top section.

" Do not hesitate men, for your enemy will not hestitate to cut you down, swords! " cried the man again. The Hastati broke the harness on the ramp of the tower. The defenders waited until the ramp had dropped before trying to push the Romans back. Hastati broke through the rebels, slashing at anything that moved with their sharp swords. Men screamed. Limbs and full bodies fell from the walls as the battle raged. All the Hastati could see were men blocking their way. Like a thick jungle, they cut their way through the rebels. Some men were killed, but they were avenged.

" Hold them men! " cried the captain to his wall defenders. The gate had been reached. His archers and spearmen were waiting. The gate took another hit from the ram. The gate held for another five hits before the Romans charged into the breach.

Chaos reigned as the Principes fell in behind the Town Watch. The Principes Centurion saw that archers were shooting into the Town Watch who were trying to break the Spear wall. The Principes then brought out their spears. Another moment later, Pilums cut into the Phalanx, rendering their shields useless. The Principes then hurled all of their Pilums over the heads of the Hastati.

Rebels fell before the Roman spears. The archers soon ran out of arrows, and the spearmen were overwhelmed by the Principes and the remaining Town Watch. Salona's Captain finally played his last card, he ordered the cavalry to run over the Romans that had broken through the gate guard. The horses turned slowly and neighed impatiently. The captain sounded the charge. Hundreds of hoofbeats sounded out the doom of many Romans.

" Romans, shields up"! called the Centurions. The Principes obeyed immediately but the Town Watch were soon lost under the many horses of Salona. The shield walls held and the cavalry took casualties before retreating.

" Clear the way! " cried Marcylus. His cavalry were galloping towards the gate. The infantry then parted before the cavalry to let the horsemen through. The general unsheathed his sword. Salona's cavalry regrouped at the far side of a long walkway. The horses turned to face the Romans. It was at that time that the Salona captain knew he could not win the battle.

" Till death! " cried the captain as his cavalry charged again. Marcylus answered in kind. The two groups of horses collided at great speed. Marcylus swung his blade across the captain's neck. Blood sprayed the general's helmet. Men fell from their horses. Lances broke and swords became red with the blood of animals and men. The two groups then stopped and engaged in a war of attrition. The groups were evenly matched until the Salona cavalry had twenty men left. The romans broke the right flank and encircled them.

" Surrender now or you will all die, you have fought bravely, is that not enough for you men ?" asked Marcylus once the fighting had halted. The remainder of Salona's cavalry threw down their weapons. Marcylus removed his helmet and wiped the blood from its smooth surface.

" General we have suffered one hundred and fifty dead and fifty seriously injured," the Triarii are finishing off the militia as we speak. Phylus delivered the report with a heavy heart. Many Romans had died but more would lose their live in the campaign. Marcylus nodded to Phylus before looking at the scroll in front of him. The dimly lit governor's palace chamber provided just enough light for him to read the scroll.

" We will not rest until the blood of our diplomat is avenged,  
Macedon "

Marcylus crushed the paper and kneeled to pray to Mars.

Thx for all the reviews guys. It is really helping. Special thx to Authorlittle. 


	7. The gods have abandoned us

I own no rights to Creative Assembly or the Total War series. The story is written from the knowledge I have gained from Rome: Total War and history books, History channel, etc. Thx for all the reviews guys. It is really helping. Special thx to Gamerwill253.

Ch. 7: The gods have abandoned us

Once Salona had been taken, Marcylus' army waited for supplies and reinforcements from Tarentum. They had to defend the city from two small sieges while they waited. Marcylus' archery tactics proved to be most effective. The first siege came from Greece. The enemy army had five hundred Spartans and two hundred regular troops. The general had his archers use flame arrows on the army's battering rams and siege towers. The Greeks had retreated once the towers were lost.

The second siege lasted just as long as the first. An army of Gauls attacked from the north. The romans had used burning oil to beat them back. The rest of the wait was spent retraining the army and constructing buildings. A Brutii family member named Flavius had taken over management of Salona. He was doing a great job.

" We need sewer systems and baths as quickly as possible general ". Flavius needed help building the structures the town needed. The general nodded and sent fifty men to help with construction. He then decided to go see Lylius. It was still early in the morning and Lylius usually didn't sleep until the afternoon. Marcylus owed his life to Lylius' helmet. The piece of armor was growing to be a part of the general's reputation.

" They say the last thing any soldier sees is the hammers on his forehead, the survivors talk of a god, I say he is just a Roman! ". The general smiled and patted the old man who was speaking on the shoulder. The man spotted the helmet in Marcylus' grasp and fell to his knees. The commander lifted him back up and continued on.

" The gods sent him here, Mars' servant! " said a young child. Marcylus then put his helmet on.

" Ahhhhhhhhh! " cried the kid as he ran away, making Marcylus laugh. He continued on to Lylius' store. He thanked Lylius for the excellent helmet. A horn sounded and one of the general's scouts walked up to his commander.

" Sir our reinforcements have arrived, the army can be ready to leave by midday." Marcylus nodded and sent the scout off. As he walked towards the gates, Marcylus noticed that the entire city had made a pathway for him. They wished him luck as he mounted his horse and galloped out of the gates. Later that day the army moved out. They marched for a couple of weeks until they were camped outside of a Greek held city. Their camp had only one possible point of entrance, plus a hidden escape route to the shoreline where Marcylus had a small fleet of Biremes waiting in case things went bad, but he was confident the fort could hold an assault.

Marcylus posted guards before heading to his quarters. He paused as a leaf fell into his hand from a large tree. He blew it into the air and went to bed. He then fell into a deep sleep. He relived another traumatic battle while the guards argued about the gods.

" There is no god stronger than Mars my good Roman!" said the first man.

" Nay, Neptune commands much more of this Earth than Mars!" argued the second man. They laughed and punched each other in the shoulder, an offering of good luck in coming battles. They talked for a time until an arrow flew through the sky and imbedded itself in the first guard's shoulder.

" By the gods! arm yourselves! " cried the guard as he was hit again. The second guard quickly helped his friend from the battlements. Hundreds of torches were dotting the horizon and raced towards the camp. Hoofbeats shook the ground. The Romans stumbled out of their tents in full battle dress. Marcylus quickly gave orders to brace the gate of the camp until the army could get away. He ordered his reserve Centurions to sound a retreat.

" But my lord the enemy cannot break through the gate! " answered one of the leaders. Marcylus led him to the scout tower and pointed to the east. The man's mouth hung open. Not only were the Greeks attacking the front of the camp, a large Macedonian army was approaching from the East. The general unsheathed his sword and donned his helmet. He suddenly had a thought and removed the helm. He placed the helmet in Rexell's hands. He then entrusted the evacuation in his hands.

" My lord it has been the greatest honour in my life serving you! " said Rexell as he saluted. Marcylus leaned closer to him and whispered in his ear.

" We will meet again my friend " he said.

" The gate is about to be breached, all Triarii hold them until our army is away! ". Marcylus took his place among the two hundred men ready to die for the good of Brutii's campaign. The gates shook. Marcylus placed his men in a solid line between two rows of tents. He also concealed a small contingent of special troops Phylus had trained just behind the gate. They hid behind their black masks and unsheathed their daggers.

Time seemed to slow down for the general. Triarii gripped their spears with hatred for their enemies, The Arcani could not be seen, and the archers began firing arrows over the walls. The gate suddenly crashed open, dust filled the air. War cries erupted from all sides.

" Triarii, form square now! " shouted Marcylus. The men quickly formed the shape just in time. Peasants and milita crashed into the spear wall. The Romans stood their ground as the vast army hit them. The sounds of battle echoed from everywhere. The Arcani attacked the peasants from behind. The fierce warriors broke the morale of the untrained soldiers. They fell back just before the cavalry charged through the gates.

The Arcani tried to defend themselves. One of them managed to jump onto an enemy horse. But the majority of them were broken in two as they were trampled and stabbed by Greek spears. the wounded jumped away and were captured by the infantry climbing over the walls.  
Cavalry jumped into the eager spears of the Triarii. The square held even as the horses cried out, throwing their riders into the troops. The sheer number of horses threatened to break the north side of the square. Then the arrows came. Triarii started to fall. Marcylus cut down an unseated rider before an arrow pierced his leg.

He fell to the ground. The Triarii Centurion quickly came to his aid, breaking the arrow in half.

" My lord the square can not hold for long, I suggest holding them for another few moments before surrendering, I'm sorry we have failed."

Marcylus got to his feet shakily and spoke.

" You have held them at bay this long while being so outnumbered, you have not failed, raise the white flag once I kill five more enemies."

The centurion nodded before gripping his flag tightly. Marcylus swung his sword through the chest of a peasant. He quickly ducked an axe throw and another arrow before cutting a man's leg out from under him. Another Greek fell before three quick slashes. After killing two more men, Marcylus gave the signal and the Centurion raised the flag from the middle of the intact square.

The Greeks claimed victory and stripped the Romans of their weapons. The men held their heads high as they were escorted out of their burning fort. The Greek General addressed Marcylus.

" I have never seen such devotion in such a small contingent of troops." He escorted the men into a fort just South of a small mountain range. Marcylus counted his men. Thirty had fallen defending the army and another fifty were wounded. The general smiled and congratulated his men for surviving the attack. They all cheered. 


	8. May Mars Guide My Blade

I own no rights to Creative Assembly or the Total War series. The story is written from the knowledge I have gained from Rome: Total War and history books, History channel, etc. Thx for all the reviews guys. It is really helping. Special thx to Sir-dik-dik follower of beef.

Ch. 8: May Mars guide my blade

A few weeks after fleeing from the Greek city, Rexell mobilized a small unit of elite Romans to formulate a plan to rescue Marcylus and his men. The General was being held in a small fort called Poseidons' Trident. The men were eager to volunteer for the task. They were intensely trained for five weeks and given reinforced armor and weapons. Rexell also planned to have a unit of archers try and draw the defenders of the fort away for the crucial few seconds Rexell's strike force needed to gain entry to the fort.

During the time that Rexell was training his men, Marcylus and his survivors were kept busy in their prison sharpening swords and fixing armor. Although he regretted doing these tasks, Marcylus knew it was all his men had in order to keep themselves alive until Rexell rescued them somehow. Some of the men were losing hope that Brutii was going to help them. They had regular prayers to the gods and kept a strict physical training routine.

Unfortunately the prisoners were also used for sport. Every once in a while the Greeks would take a few of the Romans and make them fight their best men. The prisoners always lost. Marcylus cursed his helplessness. A week after their capture, the Romans witnessed as Marcylus was severly beaten with a spear and shield. It took all the discipline they had to watch and not interfere.

Marcylus' second in command for the prisoners immediately called together a meeting.

" My lord they had no right to treat you in such a terrible way. I would have stopped them, why did you advise me not to intervene?"

The general pointed to each of the four towers surrounding the camp. In each tower there were five archers ready to fire. The Romans then planned out a way to counter the towers when help arrived. Meanwhile the Greeks were growing more paranoid of an impending attack to the south.

" I heard that Brutii has begun a siege at Corinth, that could mean they will attack Sparta!" cried one of the men.

" The gods will swing the battle in our favor! the Roman dogs cannot stand before the sons of Zeus!" replied another guard. They then proceeded to reinforce one of the four towers.

Another week passed until Rexell's strike force had pierced enemy territory and could see the camp. Rexell briefed the men on their assault strategy. Half of the men would draw swords and hide behind the other half of the force who would be carrying pure black shields. They started their attack at night. Only a couple of Greek torches lit the way for their assault. The Greeks were simply sleeping or telling stories to one another. They did not see the Romans creep up to the East tower and begin to scale it. The first few Romans slipped into the tower's top floor and snuck up behind the guards.

The soft sound of a throat being slit woke one of the other Greek guards. He readied his spear and charged out of his room. He was killed outright by a slash to the head. Blood drenched the lead Roman as he led the way down the tower to the main level. At the bottom a small skirmish broke out. One man was wounded as the Romans cut through ten Greeks. Marcylus perked up his head when he heard the clash of swordplay coming from just down the corridor. The prisoners were inside their sleeping quarters for the night.

Just then Rexell burst into the chamber and quickly hacked off the nearest guard's leg. He ignored his screams and cut through the locks on the cells. The prisoners cheered and hurried to arm themselves. Rexell handed Marcylus a new Gladius as the general walked out of his cell. Rexell then brought forth the famed helmet. He thanked Rexell before ordering the men to keep it quiet as they withdrew. The throng of men quickly left the fort behind. A couple men stayed to light it ablaze before joining with the rest. All the men had to deal with on the way back to Roman soil was a couple of sentries posted much too far away from the fort.

" Good thing the Greeks reinforced the tower we climbed, otherwise I think it would have collapsed under our weight! " said Rexell. Marcylus simply smiled. It felt very good to get out of that camp and back to the lines. Brutii had a campaign to finish, and there was a mission waiting for him once he got back to his quarters.

His army was to join up with Flavius Brutus' army and march to Greece to support the siege at Corinth that was almost over. The army was mostly intact. After a bit of retraining at Salona, they marched East. A cloud of dust showed every enemy of Rome where they were. During the march, they had to deal with two small raiding parties. Most likely Greeks retreating from Corinth. This boded well with Marcylus. It was not the most honourable course of action but it was necessary.

" My lord we have reached the lines! " called Rexell. Marcylus ordered his men to form ranks and held his breath. It was time for the Greeks to make the next move. The Romans organized themselves quickly and stared at the back wall of Corinth. A small contingent of Greeks came through the gates, Marcylus readied his archers and ordered them to fire. 


	9. Loyalty Falters

I own no rights to Creative Assembly or the Total War series. The story is written from the knowledge I have gained from Rome: Total War and history books, History channel, etc. Thx for all the reviews guys. It is really helping. Special thx to AuthorLittle .

Ch. 9: Loyalty falters

The Greeks from Corinth foolishly attacked the Brutii army head on. Marcylus quickly ordered his archers to advance and shoot three volleys of arrows at the wall of spears approaching. Marcylus had never personally encountered this formation before. He then told his skirmishers to advance and throw all of their spears at the wall. The orders were carried out fast and effectively executed. The Greeks began to fall but kept coming. Marcylus pulled back his archers and left the Velites to fight the spearmen.

" My lord I think if we hit this formation with cavalry from the side of the rear I think we can easily break it and cause them confusion," Rexell told Marcylus after seeing the Velites engage the spear wall. They were cut through slowly but surely while the spearmen were unharmed. The Greeks reformed the formation after dealing with the Velites. Marcylus then called out to his cavalry.

" All Equites draw the spear wall away while we hit them from behind, go! " called the general. The Equites obediently moved to the left of the spears. The formation moved and faced them. Marcylus smiled as his cavalry charged. They were so intent on getting the Equites that they didn't turn to face him. He smashed through their line. Men flew into the air as horses trampled them and spears became red with blood. Sooner than Marcylus could order another charge the formation broke and the spearmen ran.

The Greeks then launched a counter attack. A hail of arrows rained down on the cavalry. Horses whined as they fell and men cried out for aid. Marcylus quickly ordered his men to fall back.

" Hastati shields up! " called the general. The infantry raised their shields as a second wave of arrows fell among them. Only a few men were wounded. The Romans then waited as the other houses annihilated Corinth's defenders. Immediately afterwards, Marcylus moved his army East towards Athens. They set up camp and waited for the Greeks to make the first move. During this time Marcylus' army trained for battle. Unfortunatley morale was not perfect in the army.

" Why should we follow a man much younger than ourselves?" asked one of the veteran troops. The others in his group nodded. They then formulated a plan to overthrow Marcylus. Fortunately Phylus was listening in on them. He quickly told Marcylus what had transpired. Marcylus then thought of a way to deal with the problem. The next morning Marcylus walked from his tent with his sword drawn. He called out to his army.

" I know some of you think I am not the leader you should be following " he began. The men were still as he continued to tell them that if any of his men wanted to challenge his authority they could face him in armed combat. He then raised his sword and stared at his men, daring them to come forward. After a few moments of tense silence one man stepped forward. It was the same man who was speaking of mutiny.

" I challenge you Marcylus! " called the Roman. Marcylus then knelt to the ground and prayed to Mars for strength. He stood and crossed blades with the mutinous man, his name was Judius. They then began fighting one another. Marcylus swung his sword forward straight down onto Judius' sword. Judius countered with a sweeping slash at the general's legs. The army was captivated. A series of parrying and lunges gave way to all out slashes as each man tried to cut a gash in the other's arm.

Marcylus quickly kicked dirt into Judius' eyes, the man stumbled off balance before falling to the ground. Marcylus put his sword inches from his throat. The army cheered. Marcylus turned and walked a few steps before kneeling again to thank Mars.

" I will not be beaten by such a man! " screamed Judius. He stood and raised his sword arm. Marcylus was a blur as he stood and shuffled backwards, driving his sword into the Roman's heart. Judius' face took on a stunned look that reflected his overconfidence. He fell to the ground, dead. The army did not move as Marcylus raised his sword. One by one, the men raised their swords in turn. They cheered as the mutinous thoughts were driven from their heads.

" My brothers, let us go forth and destroy the Greeks!" called their General. The Romans fell into formation and marched on towards Athens. Ladders and siege towers slowly led the way. The Greeks hastily organized a defence force of mostly milita. They could see many flags over their walls. Some green, some blue, and some red. The Romans had finally cornered the Greeks and if all went according to plan, were about to take them over for good.

Marcylus quickly thought of a plan. His ladders would follow the siege towers closely and set up right beside the arrow towers in order to be safe from the archers inside. Then the siege towers would quickly deploy and destroy the wall guards. Once they did that they could open the gate, allowing the cavalry to rush inside and quickly destroy all resistance.

A Scipii general and his guards addressed Marcylus before the battle.

" Ahh the great Marcylus, I have a proposition for you. I would like to form a secret alliance with you, the senate is going to overthrow us soon so I suggest you take it." Marcylus knew he was speaking the truth. He had already received orders to take his own life. He shook hands with the general, sealing the agreement. He then put on his helmet and waved the men forward. The battle for athens was about to begin. 


	10. Heavily Outnumbered

I own no rights to Creative Assembly or the Total War series. The story is written from the knowledge I have gained from Rome: Total War and history books, History channel, etc. Special thx to Raptor89 .

Ch. 10: Heavily outnumbered

Marcylus edged around the corner of a Greek barracks. To his left were fifty Hastati, and behind him were thirty five Equites. The horses were unusually silent for no apparent reason. Marcylus then counted the Greek swordsmen guarding the barracks. There were fifty. Easily broken apart if he timed it right. He then moved quietly to the Centurion of the cavalry and told him to charge after one volley of spears from the Hastati were thrown. The man nodded before readying his spear. Marcylus then moved around to the Hastati and gave them their orders.

" Yes my lord we are ready! " whispered the Centurion there. Marcylus then nodded. The Hastati filed into the street. The swordsmen spotted them and fell into ranks. They were about to charge the infantry when the Hastati launched a hail of spears. The Greeks were caught off guard by the surprise attack. Horses cried out as the Cavalry charged. Spears flashed and pierced the Greeks. A few horses were brought down by the enemy, but the rest turned and began to flee. Marcylus cut down a straggler. The small unit moved out to secure the Greek armory. As the hours began to wear away, the fighting grew ever more intense.

A cavalry unit charged Marcylus. He quickly jumped aside and let his own cavalry take care of them. The Greeks had erected a road block of chariots. Marcylus snuck around the side of a small residence. He came up behind the archers manning the barricade. His sword silently slit the nearest one's throat. The other soldiers turned to fire. Marcylus then held up the body of the dead man, blocking the arrows. he tossed the body to the ground. The general became a blur of motion as he cut down the archers in quick succession through use of speedy slashes. Once they had been dealt with, Marcylus had his group rendevous with Rexell's unit. Rexell immediately informed Marcylus of the situation.

" Principes, form u-ahhhhhhhhh " cried out a man as he was stabbed by a Greek Spear. The Romans had managed to trap the Greeks in a courtyard of the Governor's palace. Greek archers had taken refuge inside the building and were shooting at the Romans outside. Marcylus quickly gave orders for his archers to light the building on fire.

The battle continued, Brutii managed to kill the general of the army with a lucky spear throw. The Greeks desperately fought the enemies with nothing but helmets and fists. Gladius' became stained with blood as the veteran troops slaughtered the ill prepared milita. The courtyard's grass became red as men fell every few seconds. Small bands of men worked together to overcome groups of well trained spearmen. The Romans climbed over each other's dead bodies just to kill one more Greek.

Smoke began to fill the air as the building behind the Greeks burned to the ground. The Greeks attempted to fall back but were surrounded by Triarii and killed. As the dust and smoke settled. The Romans stood victorious. Marcylus and the Scipii general shook hands and congratulated each other on the victory. Then Marcylus walked through the city. Greeks were being rounded up and captured. The general spotted a group of Greek women being led by a Triarii. He removed his helmet to show respect. One by one the women slapped him as they passed.

The soldiers saw this and were about to punish the women when Marcylus waved them aside. They were confused why he did this after they had hit their General.

" We have destroyed their lives, their families, husbands, sons, fathers, would you be happy? .  
" No my lord, we shall do all we can for the Greek survivors ".

Marcylus entrusted the collection of prisoners to Scipii's general. Blue flags waved all over the city as Brutii's army left. Marcylus guided his troops to the waiting fleet on the coast of Greece. The army boarded the fleet and headed for Rome. The fleet consisted of Biremes and Triremes. The fleet's journey was quiet for a couple of days. Then at dawn on the third day Marcylus climbed into the crow's nest of his flagship, a rare Greek Trireme. He scouted the sea and spotted flags and ships on the horizon. He quickly counted only seven ships to his fifty. He wondered why the fools were attacking him.

He looked closely at them, recognizing the insignia on the flags. They were of Greece's Spartan warriors. They were also the one army that Marcylus feared. As they approached, The Romans began firing flaming arrows at the Greek ships. The vessels caught fire but still came towards them at flank speed. They were going to hit Rexell's ship. The Roman bellowed at the Spartans as they rammed his ship, throwing Rexell into the sea. Marcylus quickly gave orders to his shipmates.

" Rexell, swim here quickly! " called the general. Rexell obeyed and Marcylus pulled him aboard the ship. The Spartans were making short work of Rexell's former crew. They cut them down without mercy. Marcylus ordered and immediate attack with his archers. The men fitted their bows and fired at will as the ship drew closer. By now both ships were on fire. Marcylus jumped from his ship to the burning vessels. The smell of burnt wood and dying men filled his senses. He attacked the Spartans with his best soldiers at his side. They used their superior numbers to overwhelm the Spartans and throw them into the water.

Skirmishes erupted everywhere within the fleet. Spartans rammed Roman ships with ferocity not seen by many. Smoke filled the air. Ships burned and blood flowed into the sea. Romans and Spartans threw themselves overboard and even fought in the waters around the fleet. Marcylus quickly surrounded the enemies and had his archers pick them off. The shouts of men as they fought floated on the winds until even those living on the coasts could hear them.

Swords and spears broke, screams were filling Marcylus' ears as he fought like a demon. Then there was silence. Only the burning of ships was making sounds. The Spartans were all either dead or dying. Marcylus raised his sword in victory. The rest of his army raised their weapons and saluted the general. The fleet then made its way back to Rome.

The men were given two months leave once they had returned home. Marcylus returned to his home, empty like the way he had left it. His men stopped by every so often to talk with their leader, but for the most part he simply sat outside and prayed to the gods. Marcylus kept his edge by practicing swordplay with Rexell. It wasn't until a week before leave was up when his army started preparing for the next phase of Brutii's campaign. During this time Marcylus received a letter from the senate.

" The people of Rome would be better off if you did not exist dear Marcylus. You have become too influential. If you do not take your own life the senate will declare war on your house."

Marcylus had no intention of commiting suicide. His men readied themselves and were marching to Gaul in three days time. Marcylus then sent Phylus ahead to gather intelligence. He moved off in front of the army to carry out his objectives. As Marcylus watched him sneak into the shadows of a nearby forest. He could not shake the feeling that he may not come back alive. 


	11. I regret Nothing

I own no rights to Creative Assembly or the Total War series. The story is written from the knowledge I have gained from Rome: Total War and history books, History channel, etc. Special thx to D.J. Foley.

Ch. 11: I regret Nothing!

The cold winter breeze made Marcylus shiver. His army had reached the northern borders of Rome. They were going to sack a rebel town and live there for most of the winter. The general had plans to use it as a base of operations for his campaign against the Gauls. His troops assembled outside the town and prepared to attack before the first snowfall. If they didn't have a good base it would be a hard winter indeed. The rebels inside immediately rose a white flag from inside their base.  
Once they were inside the town, Marcylus talked to the leader of the town.  
" Why did you surrender to me sir?" asked the humble general. The leader responded by offfering his army's services to Marcylus. The general smiled and shook his hand. An alliance was formed between the two armies. The winter began to wear away. Marcylus became worried. Phylus was long overdue. His mission should have taken a week maximum, but he was already three weeks late. He knew that the spy had gone into Gaul territory. He could only ask Mars to protect him and bring him back safely.

The army trained themselves while a forgery was built. With this technology, they could easily defeat the Gauls. The new weapons began surfacing a week after the building was constructed. The army then retrained with the new weapons. Marcylus could feel the power his army now possessed. They could defeat anything. As the winter wore away, He found himself feeling slightly older. He was now 30 years old. Once the first signs of spring came and went, Marcylus' army mobilized. They quickly marched north until the army reached a forest. Marcylus cautiously sent two men to scout the forest. A few minutes later both men came running back to the army with fear on their faces.

" My lord the Gauls are attack-" cried one of them just before an arrow pierced his heart. Marcylus drew his sword and sounded a charge. The army formed up before heading into the forest. The Trees loomed overhead as they charged. Marcylus could hear the enemy army screaming a battle cry. A few moments later, he spotted their skirmishers. His cavalry followed him to the right. The rest of his men went straight at the spearmen.

"For the Brutii!" called Rexell. His men crashed into the enemy forces. Swords were quickly imbedded into the stomachs of the ill prepared Gauls. They began a retreat. The Romans continued to advance. Rexell halted them. The archers then moved forward and began firing at the Gauls, who were only one hundred metres away. Marcylus halted his cavalry before commanding his Principes and Triarii to advance under the archers' base of fire. The men moved forward while Gauls started falling in ranks. They organized themselves before rushing into the well prepared Roman lines. The snow became red as swords and shields were used to kill hundreds of men.

The Romans had the advantage. Marcylus circled around the battle with his cavalry. A few moments later, he charged into the unprotected backs of the Gauls. Spears splintered, arrows flew and killed single men, Swords were awash with blood. Marcylus dismounted and cut into the Gauls like a knife through water. His sword waved through the air, inspiring the men to fight harder. Gauls began falling in twos and threes as some tried to fight the Roman general. He easily cut a bloody swath throught their ranks. horses neighed and Marcylus glanced down at the snow. It was completely red. A few minutes later the Gauls began a retreat. Marcylus ordered his cavalry to hunt down as many as possible. The men cheered and raced to mop up the enemies.

" My lord, we have a large number of wounded. I suggest sending them back to Agiacaa"  
" Alright i'll leave that to you. Get the wounded back to the town, I will set up a temporary base here."

Brutii had won a great victory. But it was bittersweet. An hour later while Marcylus was walking through the woods, looking for firewood, he found Phylus. He had been executed and hung. The general knelt down and wept for his friend. He prayed to the gods to bring his soul peace. He then vowed to kill every last Gaul he could.

" Marcylus! the camp is ready my lord." called Rexell. The man came behind Marcylus, seeing Phylus. He knelt down and prayed as well. The pair then headed back to the camp for the night. During that night Marcylus tossed and turned, not getting one minute of rest. He came down with a severe sickness that none of the physicians knew about. They ordered the General to stay in bed for at least another two days. Marcylus knew the Gauls may launch a small assault on the camp in that time. 


	12. Angels of Death

I own no rights to Creative Assembly or the Total War series. The story is written from the knowledge I have gained from Rome: Total War and history books, History channel, etc. Special thx to Hurricane97, Miscellaneous-Soldier, and Gunkreader. And anyone else if I missed you!

Ch. 12: Angels of Death

Marcylus looked over the small hill that masked his position. A large camp of Gauls was not even waking yet. His small force would decimate the camp with little trouble. He looked behind him and eyed the force of thirty chosen for this task. They were his best and brightest. They would not let him down. The general waved them forward, and the attack began. They made not a sound as they slowly walked to the camp. The early morning light had not yet reached the horizon, so they trusted Marcylus to guide them. The Romans entered the camp and spread out. Marcylus ducked into the nearest tent and drew his sword. The Gauls inside stirred but none awoke. Marcylus knew this was not an honourable act, killing helpless men, but he wanted revenge for Phylus. The slight sound of throats being slit were barely heard as the men worked their way through the camp.

" My lord, I captured one of the Gauls, he is bound near your horse." Rexell had snuck up behind Marcylus without the General's knowledge. He nodded and waved Rexell away. It took the Romans only another hour before all the Gauls were either dead or captured. The men left the camp, all of them were covered in blood. They showed no remorse. Marcylus knew they would need this if they would succeed in destroying the Gauls. The rest of the day was spent cleaning their armor and weapons. The general planned on how they would take the next Gaul settlement. He was designing something to counter their archers.

Over the next few weeks the army moved slowly until they reached the Gaul settlement. The men promptly blocked all trade caravans to and from the city. They slowly built siege towers. Marcylus secretly ordered a group of ten men to start digging a tunnel towards the city. They trained and prepared for the inevitable siege. A shipment of explosive powder arrived from the senate. This brought a smile to the general's face. His plan was a bold one, but could have great results on how the siege went. As the days passed, the tunnel crept ever closer to the Gauls' walls. On the third month of the siege, the tunnel was completed. Explosive powder and barrels of metal were placed underneath the southern wall. The Romans set up an explosive force enough to break one of the walls, giving the cavalry an entryway into the settlement.

" Romans, I do not know how many Gauls are left, but I do know that they cower in fear of our forces. Do not fear them, for they will not stand long against us. Fight bravely and know that the gods will always guide you!" The Romans cheered after Marcylus' speech. It was finally time to destroy the Gauls they had sieged for months. Onagers were loaded, swords were sharpened, arrows were fitted. They formed into ranks behind the siege towers. The cavalry formed up behind the general. Principes and Legionnaires stood ready to fight. The Triarii made their way into the siege towers. Marcylus gave the order to attack. The ground shook as the Romans started marching. The cavalry moved forward ahead of the infantry. Inside the settlement, the Gauls hastily prepared for their defense. The leader sent a runner to get reinforcements. Little known to the Gauls was that Marcylus had summoned a band of Arcani. They had infiltrated the city long before the siege had begun. They were going to kill all of the enemies in the guard towers.

" Go go go," whispered one of the covert Romans. The men moved underneath a guard tower undetected. Dressed in their black armor and hood, they blended into the shadows. The men ducked into the tower entrance. They cut through the guards easily. It wasn't long before the Arcani had finished with the second tower. They then took their places for the battle to begin. Marcylus gave the order for the Onagers to begin firing. Boulders of many shapes and sizes were hurled at the Gallic walls. Only a few Onager shots landed among the Gauls on the other side of the walls. Men screamed as they were crushed under the weight of the Roman barrage. Once the Onagers had begun firing, a pair of Romans journeyed through the tunnel that had been dug. They placed fire at the end of a long string. It snaked its way to the explosives. The cavalry was just coming into range of the Gallic archers, the explosives detonated.

" Into the city men, cut down anyone not of the Arcani!" cried Marcylus. The cavalry charged through the massive cloud of dust and into the city. Gauls were trampled in a mad rush to gain a foothold. Marcylus drew his sword. It swung through the air in a series of downward strikes. Soon the general was covered in blood again. Screams erupted on all sides of Marcylus. Men had been crushed by the wall coming down, horses were brought down on their riders, Spears, swords, and arrows pierced the flesh of hundreds of men. They Romans cut a bloody swath through the ill prepared Gallic infantry. Marcylus' own infantry began marching through the open gates of the city thanks to the Arcani. The stealthy men then infiltrated the HQ of the city.

" Three men, here!" whispered the lead Arcani. He pointed to one of three doors at the end of a long hallway. Three men positioned themselves to attack. He made a series of quick hand signals to indicate that three men were to get ready on each of the other two doors. They obeyed. The Arcani Centurion made a fist then opened it quickly. He then remade the fist and slowly raised his fingers one by one. They knew they might be going to their deaths, but they did not show any fear. Their blades were red and ready for more action. Once the leader's third finger went up three doors were barged down in unison. 

" AAAhhhh!" cried the Arcani as they rushed the Gauls inside each room. The muted sounds of swords being drawn was barely heard. The first and second rooms were taken in no time, but the Arcani leader found himself in a desperate fight against the Gallic leader. Their swords crossed in a series of parries and dodges. The Arcani finally managed to get behind the Gaul as he swung his axe downward. The man's throat was slit in an expert move by the Roman. The men regrouped and went outside the HQ. The mass melee that had been raging outside was now non existent. Marcylus moved and shook the Arcanis' hands one by one.

" Hail men, you have won the battle, and destroyed the Gauls!" cried the General. Their campaign was finally over.

Thx to all the reviewers. Look for my next story in the Warcraft section. peace out all. 


End file.
